Jondy the Abandoner 2: A New Life
by SK194
Summary: Jondy and her daughter have a nice life. Only, an X5 can't stay in one place forever, but could relocating actually put Lydecker on the right trail?
1. Happy Birthday Kid

Disclaimer: Sorry to disappoint, but don't own nothing!

A/N: This is a continuation from a standalone I wrote called Jondy the Abandoner. Now I've decided that I could turn it into a pretty kick ass series and so… yeah I wrote this. You don't need to read that to get this, but it might be fun anyway, right? And then you could review it and make me feel all good. (Now you realize that I'm in the habit of shameless plugs.) Also, this is the second version of this fic to be posted. There are now fewer typos, and the dates are more cannon! Yay!

Jondy the Abandoner: A New Life

Chapter One: Happy Birthday Kid

March 5, 2014

Fourteen-year-old Jondy sat on the bed in the backroom of the motel room where she lived flipping channels. There were only six channels to flip through, and nothing was on. Jondy had gone through all of them at least twenty times. Suddenly a loud bang was heard as the front door slammed open.

The baby squirmed in Jondy's arms at the loud noise. Zack was here.

Jondy set the infant down in the drawer she had turned into a cradle and went out to greet her brother. She felt extremely nauseated all of a sudden. Zack was going to be so_ pissed._

so 

February 28, 2017

Eloise Strat opened her eyes and sat up in bed. Her shirt was damp with sweat already, and she had woken up before the dream had even gotten to the bad part. But Eloise didn't need her subconscious to replay the memory for her. Unwillingly she let herself remember.

A sharp cry ran out through the small living space. "What was that?" Zack asked, staring intensely at Jondy.

Jondy's stomach back flipped and she stuttered out, "I- I think the neighbor's kid-" She was cut off by Zack pushing past her and opening the door to the bedroom; the light causing the baby to scream again.

"Jondy, what the hell?" Zack yelled, and without thinking he backhanded her so hard she fell to the floor. Sobbing, and rubbing her hand over her throbbing cheek, Zack towered over her. "What the hell_ are you thinking?"_

the hell

"I didn't want to kill her," Jondy whimpered. "And you can't make me." Zack continued to glare down at his sister, dozens of threats and insults running through his mind when she strongly voiced, "She's mine."

And that she was. Aldrea was all hers. Zack had been so angry with Jondy that he'd left without saying another word.

That was all almost three years ago. Aldrea had been just three days old, and she hadn't even been named Aldrea yet. Now it was just two days before her third birthday. Zack was coming to see her and celebrate.

Zack cared for Aldrea more than he would ever let on. Three months after he had ditched Aldrea and his sister, he came back with an apology. Aldrea wasn't like Case he had decided, who had been expected and wanted, but Aldrea was a mistake that never would have happened if Jondy's DNA hadn't been so fucked up.

"You can't stay here anymore Jondy," Zack said forcefully. "You need to take the baby and leave. And I've set up a new alias for you." Zack handed Jondy a drivers' license that identified her as Eloise Strat and said she was seventeen. Jondy was only fourteen at the time, but post pulse cops wouldn't question it. He also handed her an envelope full of money. Reluctantly Jondy accepted.

By now Jondy had fully become Eloise. She even thought of herself as Eloise Strat, AKA- Mommy. It had been three years and she couldn't change aliases again, because she didn't want to tell Aldrea what she was yet.

Eloise tossed and turned in her bed, trying to get back to sleep, but the blankets only got tangled in her legs. It was a lost cause anyway. Once she was awake, there was no way she would sleep again any time soon, so she decided to go out for a run.

It was 3:30 in the morning, so Eloise had about two hours before Aldrea woke up and she would have to be home. Aldrea was like her mom, and didn't sleep much.

Eloise didn't run on the road because she thought it was boring. Besides, it wasn't much of a road anyway, so there was no point. Eloise's strait, long hair trailed behind her as she ran, and she felt like smacking herself for not grabbing a hair binder. Her hair was very long, reaching almost to her waist, and jet black.

Her natural hair color was actually brown. Not just brown, but the brownest of browns. Slightly darker than Aldrea's hair, which was that indistinguishable color between brown and blonde. Eloise had been dying her hair black since she had been calling herself Aldrea, and the sharp contrast her hair had with her startlingly blue eyes was amazing.

They lived in the middle of nowhere in New Mexico, in a three room shack that doubled as a house. They'd lived there since Aldrea was a baby. Zack had been pestering Eloise to relocate for a year now. Eloise really didn't want to, which was why she was dreading Zack's arrival, and probably why she'd had that dream again.

Zack had been helping Krit with all his silly problems, when he remembered what day it was. Aldrea's birthday was soon, and he didn't even have a present yet. Sure, Krit was having a bad time with seizures and he was going to try to help Zack find Max (Zack had been trying to find Max ever since he had told Jondy she was dead), but Zack considered visiting Aldrea to be very important. Eloise, as Zack was now accustomed to thinking of his sister, was right; Aldrea had beautiful eyes.

They were huge like Jondy's, but not blue. Whoever Aldrea's father was, he had brown eyes, because Aldrea's were brown also. But they were definitely not her father's eyes. They had the same glimmer in them that Jondy and Max always had, and since they were brown, Aldrea looked a lot like Maxie. That's why Aldrea's middle name was Maxine.

It was late morning when Eloise heard a motorcycle pull up outside, and a minute later Zack walked inside carrying a lumpy present, wrapped in bright purple paper.

"Knock, knock," Zack announced and Aldrea ran over to him and tried to leap into his arms.

"Slow down Ally!" Zack chuckled, picking the toddler up. "Did you help your mom turn the house into an emaculate child raising center?"

"Huh?"

"Did you clean?"

"No way!" said Aldrea wrinkling her nose. "I want to play hide and seek!"

"Maybe later," Zack said putting her down, and setting the gift on the kitchen table.

Eloise entered the kitchen then. "How long are you staying?"

"Oh, Eloise how I've missed you too!" teased Zack. Eloise looked at him carefully keeping her face expressionless. Zack continued making fun of her. "And all this cleaning… A pitiful attempt at getting me not to yell at you," he shook his head in mock disappointment.

Eloise folded her arms across her chest and asked again, "How long are you staying?"

"Really only as long as you are," Zack replied. "Three years is too long. Time to do the pick up and leave thing."

"Yeah Zack, 'cuz we're really in the middle of Dangerville, USA so long as we live here… Where we don't have any neighbors!"

"Mommy? You and Zack fighting?" asked Aldrea.

"No, but you go back and play."

Aldrea pouted, but went back to the bedroom like she was told.

"Eloise," Zack started, "I know that you're not in any danger, but it's not a good idea to get too comfortable. You know that."

"I know. But what about Aldrea?"

"She can go with you," Zack felt his sister was just being annoying now.

Punching Zack playfully in the shoulder she said, "You know that's not what I meant."

"I really don't see your point. So you and Ally move. Big deal, kids move all the time."

"Don't call her 'Ally' Zack. It's stupid."

"It's cute."

Eloise snorted trying not to laugh at her brother saying something was cute. The words 'cute and 'Zack' don't belong in the same time zone, let alone the same sentence. "It's not. Besides, her name is Aldrea. The 'A' sound is different than in 'Ally'." Eloise said the name 'Ally' as if it were something that belonged in a sewer.

"Ally is still cute," Zack insisted.

Eloise shook her head; "There is nothing stupider."

"Fine, Ally can be stupid if you two move," Zack bargained.

Eloise weighed these options for a moment, "Okay fine!" she snapped.

March 2nd, 2017; Aldrea's birthday

Zack crept through the tiny living room, listening to the sounds of Aldrea's breathing. He knew she was hiding completely out of sight, under an end table wedged between the couch and a wall, but he led her on a bit. Knowing that Aldrea was watching him, Zack looked under a couch cushion and made a show of slapping his hand to his forehead. "I'm never gonna find her!" he wailed.

Aldrea giggled from under the table, but struggled to keep quiet. Suddenly Zack's face filled her entire field of vision and she screamed absolutely delighted and fell back, kicking Zack in the nose. Zack grabbed the foot that had just bopped him one, and pulled Aldrea from under the table while she squirmed.

"Found you," Zack said smugly. "I had to look everywhere!"

"I can't fit in da cushion Zack!" proclaimed Aldrea laughing.

"Ah, you are getting too good at this game for me."

"Don' worry Zack. You were neber vewy good."

"Hey!" yelled Zack, and he grabbed Aldrea and stood up, holding her upside down by her ankles.

"Ahhh!" Aldrea let out a high pitched scream. She dangled her arms down over her head, trying to reach the floor. "Swing me Zack!" she yelled. "All 'round in a circley!"

"There isn't enough room in here. You'll hit something," said Zack, but there was enough room that he could swing her back and forth, so he did.

Aldrea shrieked with excitement and her shirt fell down and covered her face. "I can't see! I can't see!" she began to yell laughing so hard her belly started to hurt. Then Zack pretended like he was going to drop her.

Aldrea's blood curdling scream echoed throughout the tiny house. That was it! Eloise snapped her book shut, and stormed out of the bedroom. "Will you two be quiet?" she raged. "Not all of us are hoping to lose their hearing you know."

Zack was now holding Aldrea right side up, and the blood was rushing back out of her flushed and smiling face. "Come on Eloise. I bet you are the most boring mom in existence. It's her birthday!"

"Zack saying that _I'm _boring? Now we've heard everything, haven't we Aldrea?"

"Zack's not borwing," said Aldrea, and Zack looked at his sister smugly.

---

"-Happy birthday to Aldrea, happy birthday to you!" Eloise and Zack sang, and Aldrea leapt up on the table to have better access to her cake. She blew out all three candles easily.

"Aldrea get down now," her mom demanded. "Let Zack take the candles out."

Eloise was holding a large knife that she intended to cut the cake with, so most people would have been at least a little intimidated. Aldrea reached over and plucked one of the candles from the cake, and licked the frosting off the bottom.

"Aldrea!" said Eloise exasperated. Putting the knife down, she grabbed Aldrea around the middle, lifting the defiant three-year-old off the table.

Predictably Aldrea kicked and screamed at her mother to, "Let me go you Big Bad Mom!" Eloise did, while Zack went to work cutting the cake into three huge pieces. Eloise expected Aldrea to leap out of her chair and up on the table again, but she didn't. She just sat there, apparently too upset to do anything else.

"Zack, we don't need to eat pieces that big, we just had dinner," Eloise reprimanded.

"Well I'm still hungry. You aren't a very good cook. It's a good thing this cake is store brought."

"Shut up. If I were really such a terrible cook you wouldn't have eaten everything. C'mon Zack, is that supposed to be for Aldrea? It's bigger than her head!"

Suddenly Aldrea's chair fell over with a loud thud.

"Oh!" screamed Eloise. "Zack she's seizing!"

Tears streamed over Aldrea's tiny face. "M-m-mom? Wh-what?" She couldn't finish whatever she was trying to say. Sprawled out across the dingy linoleum, her small body continued to convulse.

Eloise rushed to her side and tried to comfort her daughter, sitting on the floor she rocked her spasming form. "M-mom?" Aldrea asked again, searching for an explanation to what was happening. Eloise rubbed her daughter's back as if trying to keep her still.

"Eloise, don't you have any tryptophan?" Zack asked urgently, coming to his sister's side.

"No, I haven't had a seizure since I was ten. And I've only ever had two," her voice was very panicky. "Aldrea's never had a seizure Zack!"

Zack didn't know what to do. He'd given the last of his tryptophan to Krit a few days ago, so he didn't have any either.

TBC…

Please review. (SK shamelessly begs for appreciation).


	2. Leaving Home

****

Chapter Two: Leaving Home

"Okay, okay," Zack said brushing his had through his hair. "Do you have any milk? You must have milk." Zack made his way to the refrigerator, but tripped over Aldrea's fallen chair.

"Ow, ow, ow!" said Zack, as three more hops took him across the tiny kitchen. He sighed with relief when he opened the fridge and saw that the gallon carton of milk was half full. Zack poured some in a sippy cup and gave it to Eloise.

"Here baby," Eloise urged her daughter. "Just drink some." Milk dribbled down Aldrea's chin and onto her cotton nightie.

"This won't completely work," said Zack. "Her seizures are bad, and there's not enough Tryptophan in milk." Eloise looked at him pleading, her eyes becoming watery. Zack made a quick decision, which worked in his favor anyway. "You'll have to relocate. To somewhere where you have easier access to Tryptophan. We can keep Aldrea from going into a coma with milk until you can get pills."

Eloise sighed. She really liked it here. It was safe and quiet, and she didn't want to move. She could feel Aldrea's shaking slow down in her arms, and she knew that it would start up again soon. Zack was right; she had to be in a location where Tryptophan was readily available.

"All right," said Eloise, her voice not betraying a single emotion. "Looks like you've finally convinced me to move."

---

Eloise packed everything she could fit into her car. Aldrea slept the entire time Eloise was packing up, as she was tired from her seizure. Zack had just watched as Eloise carelessly tossed almost everything she owned into her trunk. He had a few things to say about her lack of organization, but his sister was stressed enough already. Eloise's loud rock music continued to blare from the car stereo, as she sat on the roof of the trunk to try and get it to close. Zack managed to hold back laughing at her and she yelled, "Hey, come help me here!"

Finally the car was packed, Aldrea was sleeping in the back seat, and Zack had siphoned most of his gas from his motorcycle into his sister's car, so she had a full tank. They were ready to go.

Zack leaned into Eloise's car to kiss his niece on the forehead, and in the process he reached around and left an envelope in the front passenger seat. Eloise didn't notice him leaving the present.

"You're a such a sentimental fool Zack," she said.

"And you're a hard headed mental case."

With that they peeled off in opposite directions.

---

After a long ride, Eloise and Aldrea arrived at their destination. Aldrea had woken up a few times, and Eloise had given her the remainder of the milk. When they stopped for food, Eloise ordered Aldrea a turkey sandwich. Aldrea seemed to have plenty of Tryptophan in her system, and they made it to San Francisco without incident.

Eloise had noticed the envelope sitting on the passenger seat after about an hour on the road. She had opened it to find money, which didn't surprise her. _That's so like Zack, _she thought. What did surprise her was how much of it there was. There had to be at least five thousand dollars. _Wow, Zack usually only drops about five hundred on me._

Eloise had plans for her new found wealth. She needed an apartment. _Oh, exciting plans!_ She thought sarcastically to herself.

She pulled up to an apartment complex that looked pretty nice. She could maybe live here, and it wouldn't even be illegal. Looking around, Eloise could see the Golden Gate from where she was standing. Glancing in the back seat, she noticed that Aldrea was just waking up.

"How are you doing Aldrea?"

"Hmm."

"C'mon kid, let's see if we can't find new digs." Eloise grabbed Aldrea out to the backseat and carried her over to a man that was weed whacking around the edge of the building.

"'Scuse me, do you know if any apartments are available here?"

"Yeah," the man said over the drone of the weed whacker. "Family moved out last week. Left two vacancies!" The man turned off his weed whacker. "Names Denis. I'm the landlord."

"Great! I'm Eloise, this is Aldrea."

"You have a job?"

"I will, but my brother gave me some cash, and that should cover rent until I'm employed…"

"Eh, stuff seems to be going pretty cheap these days. So don't worry," Denis continued on, "So a family moved out last week, and left two apartments, because they had a billion kids. There's 310, that's got two bedrooms, a bath, and a kitchen with a couch in it. 311 is right across the hall. It's got a bathroom, bedroom and a separate kitchen and living space."

Aldrea started to quiver in Eloise's arms. "310 sounds great," Eloise told Denis, liking the sound of Aldrea getting her own room.

"I'll show you there,"

Aldrea began to tremble some more. "Mommy?" she whispered her words hoarse and shaky.

"Hey," Eloise stopped Denis, just as he was unlocking the door to 310. "Do you have any milk? My daughter could use some."

Denis stared at her. "Nope. No milk," he said, and shoved open the door.

The apartment was already sparsely furnished. "I dunno what furniture you guys got, but the last people left some of theirs. The couch and table in here. A bed in each bedroom."

Denis tried to ignore Aldrea, who was having a full-blown seizure now. Eloise plopped her on the couch, and stroked her hair.

Denis glanced at her. "Um, well. That's it then. Um, I collect rent on the first of the month…. Is she all right?"

"Yeah, fine. I just need to give her some medicine."

Denis nodded. "Good luck," he said, and left.

Eloise didn't know what to do. She had to get to a pharmacy of some kind, but she couldn't very well haul a seizing three-year-old around while she searched for one. She had to leave Aldrea alone while she went out, even though that risked Aldrea going into a coma with no one there.

Eloise rushed down the stairs, trying not to blur in case someone would see her. "Ow!" She ran into a wall, or… a wall that wasn't there before.

"Sorry," said the wall. "These boxes take up the whole stairwell!"

****

TBC…


	3. Totally Obsessed with Danger

****

Chapter Three: Totally Obsessed with Danger

Eloise looked around the boxes that she had mistaken for a wall, and found a man holding them. A man with deep brown eyes that looked into and through her, spiked up sandy blond hair, and perfectly tanned skin. The boxes looked heavy, and his biceps flexed. Eloise couldn't help but look him over appreciatively, and he returned the favor by gazing over her lithe form.

"I'm kind of in a hurry. I need to get my daughter medicine…" Eloise trailed off.

"Your daughter?" the man thought she looked a bit young to have a daughter. "You're married?"

The man's grip on the boxes started to slip, and Eloise reached out and grabbed them. "I'm not married. You got this?" Eloise asked, referring to the boxes. "I've gotta go."

"Wait!" the man called, "who's watching your daughter? How old is she?"

"Three," Eloise called up from the bottom of the stairs. "What's it to you?"

"I love kids!" The man called, but Eloise was already out the door.

----

It was an hour before Eloise returned with a bottle of Tryptophan. She had found a hospital, and broken in to get it. Even holding the bottle, she couldn't believe she'd succeeded. She'd broken into a hospital in broad daylight and no one even glanced at her. Maybe it was because she was so worried; she just looked like she belonged there.

As Eloise stepped into the apartment, she saw Aldrea still on the couch seizing. She sighed with relief that Aldrea hadn't progressed too far. She'd seen Jack get worse than Aldrea was now. Eloise sat on the couch and lifted Aldrea's head into her lap.

"Come on baby," Eloise said, trying to coax Aldrea to swallow the pill. Aldrea gagged on it and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Come on baby, just swallow and it will be all over."

At last with the biggest gulp she could manage, Aldrea swallowed 2 Tryptophan tablets. With her small body size, Eloise thought, that should be more than enough. A few moments later the small girl's seizing subsided.

"What's wrong with her anyway?" asked the stair man. He was standing in the doorway, and Eloise realized that in her haste she left the door open.

"What, are you stalking me?" grumbled Eloise.

"My name's Brian. I just moved in, so I was just wanting to meet some people…"

"And you picked me because?"

"You're pretty," Brian said bluntly.

Eloise smiled, and looked down at Aldrea. She was sleeping, worn out from the stress of her seizures. Eloise lay her head gingerly on the couch.

"I'm Eloise. This is Aldrea. We just moved in too actually."

Brian smiled, "maybe we should get to know the area together. Um, is your daughter all right though?'

"Yeah, she needed her meds. Why are you so concerned about her?"

"I told you, I love kids. I'm a third grade teacher," said Brian. "So you just moved in, are you all unpacked?"

"Um, no not at all. Would you like to sit down?" Eloise offered. "I didn't have time to unpack, I had to run out and get Aldrea her medicine."

Brian nodded. "Well, I'm all unpacked. I could help you if you like."

"I dunno. We don't have much. Just a few boxes," said Eloise. She kept smiling now that she figured this guy wasn't a psycho. Damn he was hot. And he seemed really kind too. Eloise noticed his biceps again, and enjoyed how perfect they were. They were quite large, but not so big that the veins bulged from them. They were a lovely golden tan, and probably about the size of Zack's, although Jondy had never in her life thought of Zack in that way. Zack would be so pissed if he knew she was talking to this guy, and her smile grew wider at the thought.

"… So let's just haul those boxes up here," Brian was saying. Eloise glanced at the couch, where Eloise was still sleeping peacefully.

"All right," agreed Eloise, and she led Brian out the door, and down to her waiting car.

----

Eloise made spaghetti for dinner that evening, and Brian was invited to stay. Aldrea was up and cheerful once again, so Brian was excited for the chance to meet her.

"You know," said Brian, "this is just plain old spaghetti, but I feel like I'm eating top o' the line stuff. This is excellent."

"Thanks," laughed Eloise. "Look at Aldrea!"

Aldrea was advanced for her age in most areas, but it was obvious that eating spaghetti wasn't one of them. Most of her face was slick and a bright red-orange, and a spaghetti noodle was stuck to her forehead. Her shirt had fared even worse, being bright red-orange as well, and having half the noodles from her plate on it. Brian and Eloise burst out laughing, and Aldrea looked up in surprise and joined in even though she didn't know what was funny.

RIIING! Shrilled the telephone. Eloise knew that it had to be Zack. He always called after she relocated.

RIIING! "Are you gonna answer that?" Brian wondered. Eloise shrugged.

RIIING!

RIIING!

RIIING!

Finally, tired of listening, Eloise got up and grabbed the phone angrily. "What?"

"Hey Jon. Is it too much to expect a new alias for a new location?" asked Zack.

"You know I don't wanna confuse Aldrea with all that yet Zack."

"Mommy! Can I talk to Zack?" yelled Aldrea.

"Are you up for that Zack?" Eloise asked him. "I suppose you want to talk to me first…"

"Yeah sure. Where are you may I ask? Did you make it out of state at least?"

"I'm in San Francisco. You'll be happy to know that we're already livin' it up too."

"Eloise! Low profile! Come on."

"Jeez Zack. I'm not stupid you know. It's all good. Oh hey, and thanks for the money, we already got new digs thanks to that. I just need to go job hunting tomorrow."

"Mommy! I wanna talk to Zack!" Aldrea had gone over to Eloise and now was jumping up and down next to her trying to reach the phone, noodles falling to the already stained carpet with each bounce.

"Okay Aldrea, hold on. Zack I'm assuming you can triangulate our location from this phone call. I'm handing you over to Aldrea." Eloise gave her daughter the phone, and Aldrea grabbed it up excitedly.

"Zack! We have spaghetti for supper, and Brian said it's yummy!"

Eloise turned to Brian, who had been watching Eloise's half of the exchange with interest. "That was my brother Zack," she explained. "He worries, and his only soft spot is for Aldrea. He's totally obsessed with danger though. He thinks me and my siblings are all on the verge of death or something."

Brian laughed.

A few minutes later Aldrea handed a now slippery phone to Eloise. "Zack said he wants to talk to you Mommy."

Eloise took the phone. "What?"

"I just wanted you to know that I just hooked up with Krit, and he lives on the way to San Francisco. Or he did anyway, he had to relocate because Lydecker was nearby."

"So…"

"So before he left, which was earlier today, he said that it had seemed like he had lost all the tails. Like maybe Lydecker picked up on someone else. It's what I'm thinking, even though that's not what he was thinking."

"Oh come on Zack. Krit was the one with the tails, not you, and yet you just go and assume something that never even crossed his mind. That is like the worst hunch. "

"Is not. You would've been with a seizing kid! You think Lydecker's men wouldn't be watching for that?" Zack said angrily. Why wouldn't Jondy ever see reason? She was as bad as Max. God, if the two of them ever hooked up…

"Whatever Zack. I'll keep on the lookout, but we just got here, and like I said, we've already got new digs."

"Fine. You know, so long as you are ready for anything Jondy. Oh, who's Brian?"

Eloise hung up the phone. "So who's up for charades?"

****

TBC…


	4. Totally Dangerous

Chapter Four: Totally Dangerous

March 18, 2016

It was amazing how quickly she was able to build herself a new life here in San Francisco thought Eloise, as she stood a top the Golden Gate Bridge. She had found a job bartending, in Brian's cousin's bar, and she got good tips on account of she was hot. And Brian was almost at the level of being a steady boyfriend, as far as she was concerned, but then that was something she had never had before.

Eloise was suddenly struck that she felt more comfortable up here on the bridge, perched like some great bird, than she had ever felt in her life. Was that some X5 thing? Enjoying high places?

__

"Come on Jondy! We're going to the High Place," whispered Max. But Jondy shook her head. The high place was silly. Jondy liked Ben's stories, but she knew that they weren't possible. Ripping out her teeth and giving them to a piece of paper was silly, and she knew it would only do her more harm than good.

She watched Maxie follow the rest of her siblings out the window. Despite the fact that she knew it was silly, the eight-year old girl felt lonely, and very left out. The only other one left in the barracks with her was a sleeping Jace. Jondy lay back in her bed, and covered her face with blankets, to try and block out her feelings.

A tear trailed down Eloise's cheek at the memory, but she smiled anyway. Up here she didn't feel left out anymore. Looking down she picked out the light that was Aldrea's bedroom window, and saw it go out. It must be real late, she thought. Aldrea always went to bed late. Eloise sighed, and started to climb down. Suddenly she wanted to be home, warm and with Brian and Aldrea.

"Hey," said Eloise, walking into her apartment. "How was Aldrea?"

"She was great, but doesn't that girl ever sleep?"

Eloise smiled. _A six year old Max looked at Jondy thoughtfully, moonlight shining through a window, illuminating the area between them, but leaving both girls on Jondy's bed in shadows. "Maybe we have shark DNA in us," Max speculated, "and that's why we can't get to sleep. Then she laughed. The two girls giggled like the six-year-olds they were, Maxie rolling on her side in the square of moonlight, her features the happiest Jondy had ever seen them._

"Aldrea's like her mommy," Eloise said at last, and as if on cue, Aldrea exited from her room.

"Mommy!" she yelled, and ran towards Eloise, wrapping herself around a leg when she got there. "You're home."

Eloise picked up her daughter. "I am home, and you're not in bed," she said, poking Aldrea's chest.

"I was mom!"

Eloise laughed.

"Mom lwet's play hide and seek with Brian! Brian likes it; we play tonight for a long time," said Aldrea.

Eloise put on her mom look. "Hmm, I see two problems with that. One, you're supposed to be in bed. And two, Brian must be sick of hide and seek after you played it so long already!" Aldrea frowned, but Eloise continued. "Come on Kiddo, back to bed."

----

Eloise woke up at 4:45 the next morning, not quite sure of why she had awoken. She didn't want to get out of bed. It was warm, and so cozy that it was torture just to keep her eyes open. Rain tapped lightly on the window, soothing Eloise back to sleep, and there was another sound… Eloise was sure of it. It was what had woken her up.

A helicopter.

A pang of paranoia hit her chest like a bucket of ice cubes. The last time she had heard one of those was before the Pulse. No one could afford to use them for medical purposes anymore, and traffic reports were needless, as there were much fewer cars.

The most likely place of a helicopter's origin was Manticore when an X5 was in the area. Zack would force her to move again, Eloise knew it. Just as she had found herself in a good place, and a good life again.

A place where everything felt so right.

Eloise got out of bed, and was just about to reach for the phone when she pulled her hand back quickly. She would deal with this on her own. No reason Zack had to know.

"Come on Aldrea. Get up girl," Eloise murmured, shaking Aldrea's shoulder lightly."

"Mmmm…"

"Aldrea," Eloise said again.

"What?" Aldrea said crankily, and hardly audible.

"It's time to get up Kiddo."

"Okay," Aldrea sat up. "It's hardly light out yet Mommy. How come you want to get up all earlwy today?"

"I have an errand to run Aldrea," said Eloise. "And I need you to be awake while I'm gone, just in case. Okay?"

"Is Brian gonna baby-sit me?"

"No, just… Come on. Get up." Eloise led Aldrea out into the living area. "I want you to watch some cartoons on very low volume." Eloise set up the TV for the three year old, and indicated for her to sit on the couch.

"If anyone comes to the door," Eloise continued, "don't answer it. If anyone knocks, or if you hear a sound like someone picking the lock, I want you to hide in the cupboard under the sink. The one with the childproof lock. You know how to open that right?" Aldrea nodded. "Good, don't forget."

Aldrea nodded again.

"I'm going to run my errands. You be good." Eloise shrugged he leather jacket over her shoulders, covering a gray tank top. She dropped her keys into a pocket of her plaid pajama pants.

"Mommy?"

"What Aldrea?"

"Is this the danger Zack talks about?"

"No. Everything's' going to be okay kid," lied Eloise, and smiled reassuringly for Aldrea. "You just remember what I told you to do, and everything will be cool."

Eloise walked out into the light drizzle. She had to get rid of her car. The helicopter's probably already had it spotted, but she hoped not. In any case she still had to ditch it. It was an old piece of junk anyway.

An old beat up piece of junk, sitting in the middle of a parking lot, in plain view of anyone passing by, or flying over head. Looking just the same as it had in the parking lots of restaurants and gas stations Eloise had stopped at on the way to San Francisco.

Zack's right. I am too careless, thought Eloise, and she hauled Aldrea's blanket and stuffed dog inside the apartment building, leaving it just inside the main doors. That was all that was in the car that anyone would want.

Eloise got back in the car and drove off. It had stopped raining, and a light morning mist hung in the air, putting droplets on the windshield as Eloise drove through it. She groaned, even though if it had still been raining it would have been worse. The wipers on the piece of junk didn't work.

Eloise drove a few blocks to a pier and stopped in front of it. This was the end of her car's amazing legacy, she thought, and then laughed at the idea's cheesy stupidness.

Eloise started the car and drove onto the pier, positioning herself so that she was headed strait for the ocean. Eloise slammed her foot on the gas.

The car hurtled forward, and Eloise put her left hand on the door handle, and kept her right hand on the wheel, keeping the car headed into the Pacific.

At the last possible second, Eloise threw open the door and hurled herself out, rolling across the concrete.

Filled with adrenaline, Eloise stood up and brushed herself off. She looked at the tail end of her car, sinking steadily into the dark water. The sun was rising now, making small rainbows through the misty air, and the wind took Eloise's long hair and whipped it around.

Eloise did her best to get her hair to cover the back of her neck again. Now was _not_ the time to have her bar code exposed. She needed a new car. Preferably a cool one.

****

TBC…


	5. Lydecker

Chapter Five: Lydecker

Aldrea was halfway into the cupboard by the time Eloise had gotten the door unlocked and stepped inside.

"Mommy! It's just you," said Aldrea.

Eloise dumped her daughter's blanket and stuffed animal from the car on the floor. "Yep, so no troubles?" wondered Eloise, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was 7:10 already.

Aldrea shook her head 'no' and said, "I'm hungry."

"Mmm, how 'bout you have some cereal. I'm gonna go get dressed."

Eloise pulled up her jeans, and looked out the third floor window.

She gasped.

Lydecker, not Lydecker's men, but Lydecker himself was studying the cars in the parking lot. One by one, checking the license plates of any car even slightly resembling Eloise's. He even checked a truck that's only quality resembling Eloise's car was the color.

Eloise wiped a tear from her stricken face. Damn. If she hadn't heard that helicopter, she'd probably be dead by now. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she pulled a gray zip up sweatshirt around her shoulders.

She and Aldrea had to get out of town until Lydecker was gone.

"Aldrea!" Eloise called. "Aldrea! Come on and get dressed now."

"I'm not done eatin' yet mom!"

"Are you starving?" asked Eloise, stepping into the kitchen.

Aldrea shook her head and milk dribbled off her chin.

"Then you can eat later… I'll pack up some snacks. You go in your room and get dressed. Quickly please, and we'll go see Brian at the school."

Aldrea grinned happily. The last time she'd been to see Brian at work it had been after classes were out, and Aldrea had played with the puzzles, and read some of the books. Brian kept a very colorful classroom, and Aldrea loved it. Of course, she'd never actually been there during the school day. Eloise didn't think Brain would be too happy about them showing up, but she couldn't just go and take her boyfriend's SUV and then not return it for three or four days. She had to ask first.

Aldrea pulled Eloise's arm down the hall on the way to Brian's classroom. She had only been there once before, but she remembered the way. "C'mon Mom! This way."

"Settle down Aldrea."

Aldrea stopped outside the open doorway of "Mr.Brian's" classroom. "Who are they?" Aldrea asked, referring to the students.

"What are you doing here Aldrea?"

"Mommy's here too!"

Eloise waved tenativly into the classroom. Most of the kids were engaged in an activity. "Hey, I was actually just sort of wondering… If I could borrow your SUV."

Brian raised his eyebrows.

"My car's sort of unavailable. We had to walk here."

"What happened to your car?"

"Um… I think someone drove it off a pier…"

Brian stared at her. "That's a little weird isn't it?"

"Hey, we're living in this post pulse world, things get a little strange."

"Mommy, can I go play?" asked Aldrea.

"No, we're going to leave in a minute kiddo."

"Well," said Brian. " I don't mind if you borrow my car. Where are you going?"

"We're just going out for the day. In case the psycho who drove my car off the pier comes back you know."

Brian nodded and smiled. He loved Eloise's humor, even when it completely escaped him.

"Mom packed snacks!" Aldrea told him.

----

There was no way out of the city. Lydecker's men were everywhere. All day Eloise drove around, just trying to evade them, and maybe sneak away, but now it was dark out, and they had gotten nowhere.

Eloise came to a corner, and the road stopped going straight. Tall buildings on both sides prevented her from looking down the roads, and Lydecker's guys might be down either turn. Aldrea sat calmly in the back seat, oblivious to the danger of the situation, and Eloise couldn't bear to drive her into more danger.

"Wait here a sec," she told Aldrea and got out to check it out around the right corner on foot. She turned onto the dimly lit street to see at least two dozen soldiers, half of which carried menacing guns of shining black metal.

The nearest soldier approached her. "Ma'am, what is your business here?" he asked. Eloise looked down so that her hair obscured her face.

"I was just out of a walk," she said in a soft voice that was not her own.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but access to this area is restricted tonight. Unless you live down her, you'll have to turn around."

"Okay," Eloise said, still in her disguised voice. She backed up slowly. Through the dark hair over her eyes she saw one of the soldiers nudge the soldier she had talked to with his elbow, and whisper something to him. The other soldiers' eyes widened, and he shouted for Eloise to, "hold up!"

Eloise stopped obediently, not wanting to seem guilty.

"I'm supposed to take a look at the back of your neck. It's just a precaution you see, we're looking for someone. You understand."

Eloise's stomach plummeted, and the soldier approached her. He began to brush her hair away, and Eloise brought her elbow back.

With a loud crack it connected with his face, and he fell to the concrete like a bag of rocks.

Gunfire began immediately, and Eloise leapt high, as only and X5 can, and landed on the rusted fire escape of a six-story building.

Dull thwacks and resonating clangs rang out as bullets hit the building and the metal of the fire escape. Eloise blurred at a speed faster than the bullets that hunted her and in impossible time, she made it to the roof.

__

Fwoop fwoop fwoop fwoop.

A helicopter with a searchlight was right over her!

Eloise dashed behind the door to the roof and hid from the twisting beam. As soon as she got her chance she began slamming the door with her shoulder. After the second hit the door collapsed open and she rushed in, and down the stairs.

She had only gone down two floors when her path was flooded with soldiers.

Eloise swung herself over the railing and dropped out of sight.

She fell four stories, as the stairs of the building twisted around in a square spiral, that allowed one to look right down to the ground level.

She landed smoothly, bending her knees as far as she could upon the impact. As last she wiped her hair out of her face, and dashed for the exit.

Brian's SUV was idling right outside, Aldrea still sitting in the back, almost bored. Eloise threw herself into the driver's seat and took off in reverse.

She skidded to a stop after about twenty feet and dodged down a one way side street, littered with garbage, and lined by dank buildings.

"Where are we going now?" Aldrea asked, just as the SUV flew out onto an open street.

More of Lydecker's men were here, and they now knew the vehicle.

Bullets pelted the windows and sides as Eloise bombarded the soldiers.

"Aldrea! Get down!" Eloise ordered frantically.

Aldrea dove down to the floor between the seats, and glass crashed down around her.

Eloise continued to barrel down the street in the SUV, until the soldiers were far behind. Great, she thought. I went through two cars in one day.

After getting passed Lydecker's men, Eloise found herself on an almost quiet, tree lined paths. She was near what used to be one of San Francisco's parks, before the Pulse.

Eloise came to a stop and ditched the car for now. Lydecker's men still might be able to follow it this fart somehow. She pulled Aldrea out of the backseat, and found that the three-year-old was covered in numerous small cuts, including a nasty gash above her eyebrow, but other than that she was fine.

Eloise ran her hands up and down Aldrea's arms and legs looking for any other wounds, to make sure.

Aldrea whimpered softly, from the shock of the life threatening experience.

"It's all right Kiddo," her mother soothed, and Aldrea collapsed into her inviting arms tiredly.

Of in the distance, Eloise could pick up voices with her enhanced hearing.

"Hey, I think she's over this way," said a male voice about five minutes off.

Still holding Aldrea, Eloise ran into the poor excuse for woods that sparsely covered the overgrown park. Aldrea hugged close to her mother nervously as they huddled beneath a large bush. Heavy footsteps drew nearer, and Aldrea whimpered into Eloise's shoulder.

Stomp…

Stomp…

Stomp… the dewy grass slipped beneath the footfalls to the pursuer.

****

TBC….


	6. A Great Man

Chapter six: A Great Man

Stomp…

"Mommy…" Aldrea's voice trailed off.

A fraction of a second seemed to take hours to pass, and Eloise felt the weight of the world, and her mistakes fall upon her gut in a nauseating plummet.

Male hands parted the leaves of the bush, and Brian's face appeared.

Eloise's hand stopped dead in its tracks, abruptly ending the path towards poking Brian's eyes.

"Brian!" Eloise exclaimed in a whisper. "What are you doing her?"

"What are you doing here? I saw you guys driving this way, but I didn't see you park."

Eloise gulped. She sort of owed Brian a new SUV, which would have been funny if it hadn't been true in such a grim way. Involving guns.

Eloise could hear guns moving in the hands of their carriers not far off, but the soldiers were searching in the wrong direction.

"C'mon," she whispered. "Let's go to the car, but keep low."

Eloise led, with Aldrea following and Brian bringing up the rear. Brian felt clownish trying to stay low, as Eloise had instructed. He wondered vaguely if she might've gone insane, but she seemed too serious, and Aldrea, quite on the ball for a child her age, didn't doubt her mother.

Brian watched Eloise in front of him, and she didn't look clownish at all. She looked as if she were made to creep along the ground. "Where are we going?" Brian whispered.

"To where we've already been. Keep quiet."

Soon they had crept their way back to Brian's shattered vehicle.

"What happened Eloise?!" Brian's eyes were wide, "who are we hiding from?"

"I'm sorry about your car-"

"I don't care! Eloise! What's going on?"

"They're looking for me and Aldrea," Jondy searched for a lie. "They think I've committed a murder, and that I coerced Aldrea into robbery."

Brian stared. "What? Why?"

Eloise berated herself for not being able to think up a better story. "I don't know why, that's just what I've gathered from them shouting at me, okay?"

Brian vaguely wondered at her sanity again, but then there was the fact of his shot-up vehicle. That couldn't have just happened. And Eloise would never-

"You aren't actually, um… Guilty. Are you?"

Eloise looked hurt. "Of course not! You actually think I'm capable of murder?"

"Mommy SHHH!" Aldrea reminded them. She looked pathetic. Her hair was matted, her face was dirty, with muddy looking paths were her tears had trailed down. Her clothes looked as if she'd fallen in a puddle and out of a tree, and there was a sticky red gash above her left eyebrow.

"Right Kiddo. Let's keep quiet," whispered Eloise.

"I don't think you'd ever kill anyone," said Brian. "But you never know right, I've only known you a few of weeks… So I was just asking."

"I understand."

"How long are we going to hide here?" Aldrea wondered.

"Not long… Okay, you and Brian go back through the park. Act normal, okay?"

Brian suppressed a smirk and nodded.

"Aldrea's all dirty and cut up, so Brian, you should carry her. That way if they see you they won't suspect as much. Understand?" Both nodded. "Okay, um, just start heading towards home. I know it's a long way to walk, but there's no other way."

"What are you going to do?" asked Brian.

"I'm going to lead them away from you guys. They've seen the SUV before, so-" she stopped. "I'm sorry Brian. I'll get you a new one. I swear."

"It's okay. So long as when you get back, you tell me what's going on. And so long as you promise to actually come back."

Eloise smiled. How did she just happen to meet such a great person?

"Okay you guys," she said, climbing into the SUV. "Good luck."

"You too Mommy."

Eloise grinned and started the car. Not ten second later she was gone, and Brian and Aldrea heard shouting and gunfire. It was coming from the direction away from home.

- - - -

Eloise had them on her tail; that was the easy part of the plan. The hard part was next: lead them out of San Francisco and loose them. Then she planned to wreak the SUV, and leave it for them to find.

They had her for miles and miles, but then a lucky find: just around a curve in the road was a long driveway. Lydecker's men hadn't made the curve yet, and they didn't have her in view. Eloise turned down the driveway, and sped up it, trees scratching at the already damaged window.

With her enhanced hearing, she heard the convoy pass the driveway by, and she sighed and closed her eyes a moment. Then she heard footsteps outside the car.

"Hey you! What'er ya think yer doin'? Can't you read? No tresspassin'!" A fat, hairy man smacked the butt of a rifle on the passenger side door, and the window shattered onto the seat.

"I'm sorry," said Eloise calmly. "I was just leaving."

"The sign says 'no trespassin''! Get outta the car!"

Eloise did as the man asked, already smirking about what she was about to do.

The man walked around the car to face her, and began to swing the nose of the rifle in her face. "The sign says 'no trespassin'. So no I'm-"

Eloise grabbed the rifle with her left hand and pulled the man forward, into her right elbow, hitting the man in the nose.

Now in possession of the rifle, she smacked the man on the head with it, knocking herm unconscious.

Perfect! A shiny, new, black pick-up was parked in the garage. With the keys in it too. After all, why take the keys out if it says, "No Trespassin'?"

****

EPILOUGE:

"Mommy!" yelled Aldrea, running into Eloise's arms. "I was worried mommy, but it's okay now right?"

Eloise smiled. "Yes, everything's great right now. Where's Brian?"

"He's at his house. He's getting a puzzle for us to do."

Just then Brian entered Eloise and Aldrea's apartment, puzzle in hand. He dropped it, and pieces scattered everywhere, but no one cared. A monstrous grin filled his face, his eyes beaming.

"I didn't know if I'd ever see you again!" said Brain.

"Aw," said Eloise, kissing him on the cheek. "I wouldn't abandon you guys!"

THE END.

Shameless plug: Don't miss Jondy the Abandoner three: Barcoded.


End file.
